LAST Wednesday saw more than 80 students in Grades 1-3 from four Broadmeadows-based primary schools take part in an after-school AFL Gala Day at Dallas Brooks Primary School.
The day acted as a culmination to the After School Auskick Program ran at each school as part of the AFL’s Physical Literacy Program and provided a great chance for the kids to showcase the skills they have learnt in a modified game environment, against students from surrounding schools who were bussed in to the venue by Hume City Council staff.
Teams from all schools participated in a short round robin tournament umpired by AFL Victoria staff and local SEDA students.
They were able to enjoy the fun of an AFL inflatable in between games.
A quick presentation was held at the conclusion of the event, where one player from each team who displayed the greatest sportsmanship and played the game in the right spirit was awarded a special Jacana FC prize pack.
The event proved to be a valuable introduction to modified match play for the students, the majority of whom are from diverse backgrounds that don’t have a strong affinity with the game.
It is hoped that providing these opportunities will educate students and their families about the community nature of our game and the social benefits associated with participating in our great game.
Whilst representatives from Jacana FC, the Hume City Council Mayor and the EDFL CEO were all in attendance, the students’ attention was predominately drawn to Essendon FC mascot ‘Skeeta’, who joined in the fun throughout the day and had plenty of Essendon FC giveaways for the kids.
The evening finished with a free barbecue for all players and their families run by the Community Hub from Dallas Brooks, which provided a tasty end point to what was a fun-filled day for all involved.
